U.S. patent number 4,860,731 [Application Number 07/255,568] was granted by the patent office on 1989-08-29 for endoscope.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Nobuyuki Matsuura.
United States Patent |
4,860,731 |
Matsuura |
August 29, 1989 |
Endoscope
Abstract
An endoscope having sucking tube lines large in the sucking
capacity of the present invention has an insertable part to be
inserted into a body cavity and is provided in the front end part
of the insertable part with an illuminating window illuminating an
observed part, an observing window for observing the illuminated
object and a sucking part. A first sucking tube line inserted
through the insertable part and leading to the operating part is
connected at one end to the sucking part and at the other end to a
suction switching part operating the suction from the sucking part.
A second sucking tube line of an inside diameter larger than of the
first sucking tube line is connected to the suction switching part
so as to make the suction from the sucking part through the suction
switching part.
Inventors: |
Matsuura; Nobuyuki (Hino,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
(Tokyo, JP)
|
Family
ID: |
18145552 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/255,568 |
Filed: |
October 11, 1988 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 17, 1987 [JP] |
|
|
62-322603 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/157; 600/104;
600/110; 600/158 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
1/00068 (20130101); A61B 1/015 (20130101); A61B
1/018 (20130101); A61B 1/05 (20130101); A61B
1/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
1/05 (20060101); A61B 1/12 (20060101); A61B
1/012 (20060101); A61B 1/015 (20060101); A61B
1/018 (20060101); A61B 001/06 (); A61B
001/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/4,6 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Grieb; William H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Armstrong, Nikaido, Marmelstein,
Kobovcik & Murray
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An endoscope comprising:
an insertable part inserted into a body cavity and having in the
front end part an illuminating window illuminating an observed part
and an observing window for observing the illuminated object;
an operating part provided in the rear of said insertable part;
a first sucking tube line communicating with a sucking part
provided at the front end of said insertable part, inserted through
said insertable part and leading to said operating part;
a suction switching part provided in said operating part,
communicating with said first sucking tube line and making a
sucking operation from said sucking port; and
a second sucking tube line communicating with said first sucking
tube line through said suction switching part and having an inside
diameter larger than the inside diameter of said first sucking tube
line.
2. An endoscope according to claim 1 wherein said first sucking
tube line is also a forceps channel.
3. An endoscope according to claim 1 further comprising a washing
nozzle washing said observing window at the front end of the
insertable part.
4. An endoscope according to claim 3 wherein said washing nozzle
has an air feeding tube feeding a gas and a water feeding tube
feeding a liquid connected with each other so as to deliver a
washing liquid of a mixture of a liquid and gas as sprayed and the
inside diameter of the air feeding tube is larger than the inside
diameter of the water feeding tube.
5. An endoscope according to claim 1 wherein said second sucking
tube line is connected to said operating part and is inserted
through a connecting cable provided with a light guide transmitting
an illuminating light at least to said illuminating window.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an endoscope having sucking tube lines
large in the sucking capacity.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Recently, there is extensively used an endoscope whereby an
elongated insertable part can be inserted into a body cavity to
observe organs within the body cavity or various therapeutic
treatments can be made, as required, by using a treating tool
inserted through a treating tool channel.
Generally, there are provided sucking tube lines for sucking and
removing a mucus, dirt and blood within a body cavity. Such sucking
tube lines are divided into a first tube on the upper stream side
from the operating part to the insertable part tip part of an
ordinary endoscope and a second tube on the lower stream side from
the operating part to the connector connected to the universal cord
at the end. These tubes are connected at the respective ends
positioned within the operating part to a suction switching part
provided in the operating part and the second tube is connected at
the other end to a suction pump so that a suction may be made by
operating the suction switching part.
Conventionally, as disclosed, for example, in a U.S. Pat. No.
4,562,830, in such sucking tube lines, the inside diameter of the
first tube and the inside diameter of the second tube have been
equal to each other.
Now, the dirt and mucus must be sucked so quickly as to reduce the
inspecting time to make the pain of the patient as small as
possible. As a quickly sucking means, it is considered to increase
the sucking capacity of the suction pump and further to enlarge the
inside diameter of the sucking tube to make the resistance of the
tube as small as possible. However, there are problems that, in
case the sucking capacity of the suction pump is increased, the
size of the pump will become large and the power consumption of the
pump will increase. Also, in case the inside diameter of the
sucking tube is made large, the outside diameter of the endoscope
insertable part provided with this sucking tube will become large
and a great pain will be given to the patient when the insertable
part is inserted into the body cavity. Further, in case the inside
diameter of the tube on the upper stream side is large, the sucked
solid will clog the lower stream tube and no subsequent suction
will be made.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an endoscope
whereby the resistance of sucking tube lines can be made as low as
possible to obtain a maximum suction amount and the impurities
sucked o the upper stream side can be prevented from clogging the
lower stream side.
In an endoscope of the present invention, a first suction tube line
is inserted through the tip part of an insertable part from a
suction switching part and a second suction tube line having an
inside diameter larger than the inside diameter of the first
suction tube line is inserted through the lower stream side leading
to the rear end of a connecting cable from the above mentioned
suction switching part.
That is to say, the inside diameter of the second sucking tube line
on the lower stream side from the suction switching part is made
larger than on the upper stream side so as to make the tube line
resistance on the lower stream side as small as possible.
The other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent enough with the following explanation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 to 4 relate to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the internal formation of an
endoscope.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the formation of a water feeding
tube and air feeding tube.
FIG. 3(a) is an explanatory view of the formation of an endoscope
apparatus of a mosaic filter system.
FIG. 3(b) is an explanatory view of the formation of an endoscope
apparatus of a frame sequential system.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the formation of a suction
switching part.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention shall be explained in detail
in the following with referents the drawings.
In FIG. 1, an endoscope 1 comprises an elongated insertable part 2,
a thick operating part 3 connected to this insertable part 2 on the
rear end side and a light guide and signal cable 4 extended from
the side of this operating part 3.
A rigid tip part 6 is provided on the tip side of the above
mentioned insertable part 2. A curvable part 7 is provided on the
rear side adjacent to this tip part 6. Further, a flexible part 8
is provided in the rear of this curvable part 7.
The above mentioned tip part 6 is provided with a tip body 9
substantially columnally formed of a rigid material. This tip body
9 is provided in the lengthwise direction of the insertable part 2
with an air and water feeding channel through hole 11, observing
through hole 12, forceps channel through hole 13 and illuminating
through hole (not illustrated).
An objective lens system 14 is provided in the front part of the
above mentioned observing through hole 12. Such solid state imaging
device as a charge coupled device (mentioned as a CCD hereinafter)
16 photoelectrically converting an observed image is provided in
the image forming position of this objective lens system. A signal
line 17 is extended out of this CCD 16 at the rear end and is
connected to a preamplifier 18 so as to be able to output a
photoelectrically converted picture image signal.
As shown in FIG. 2, an air and water feeding nozzle 19 is provided
in the front part of the above mentioned air and water feeding
channel through hole 11 so as to be able to wash a blood, mucus and
the like deposited on the front end surface of the above mentioned
objective lens system 14. A connecting pipe 21 is fitted and fixed
to this air and water feeding channel through hole 11 in the rear
end part and is connected with an air and water feeding tube 22. A
branch pipe 28 connected with an air feeding tube 24 forming an air
feeding channel 23 and a water feeding tube 27 forming a water
feeding channel 26 is provided at the rear end of this air and
water feeding tube 22 so that a washing liquid fed through the
water feeding tube 27 may be sprayed by a gas fed through the air
feeding tube 24.
By the way, the relation between the inside diameter DW of the
water feeding tube 27 and the inside diameter DA of the air feeding
tube 24 is DA>DW so that, by throttling the air feeding channel
24 in the branch pipe 28, the washing liquid may be more finely
sprayed and the amount of water drops deposited on the surface of
the objective lens system 14 may be reduced.
A forceps channel tube 31 forming a forceps channel 29 is connected
to the above mentioned forceps channel through hole 13.
A forceps part 32, air and water feeding switching part 33 and
suction switching part 34 are provided on the side of the above
mentioned operating part. The forceps part 32 communicates with the
above mentioned forceps channel tube 31 forming the forceps channel
29 and is closed with a forceps plug 36.
The above mentioned air and water feeding switching part 33 is
provided in the tube line of the above mentioned air feeding tube
24 and water feeding tube 27 so that, by operating the air and
water feeding switching part 33, the air feeding channel 23 and
water feeding channel 26 may communicate with each other and the
washing liquid sprayed by the air and water feeding nozzle 19 may
be delivered. A first sucking tube 37 having an inside diameter A
and branched from the forceps channel tube 31 connected to the
above mentioned forceps part 32 is connected to the suction
switching part 34 and a sucking tube line on the upper stream side
is formed of the forceps channel tube 31 which is also a sucking
tube line and the above mentioned sucking tube 37.
A connector part 38 is provided in the rear end part of the above
mentioned light guide and signal cable 4 and comprises a first air
feeding mouthpiece 39, a second air feeding mouthpiece 41
communicating with this first air feeding mouthpiece 39 within the
connector part 38, a water feeding mouthpiece 42 provided near this
second air feeding mouthpiece 41, a sucking mouthpiece 43, a signal
connector 44 connected to the above mentioned pre-amplifier 18
through the signal line 17 and a light guide mouthpiece 46
connected with a light guide inserted into an illuminating through
hole (not illustrated) provided in the tip part 6 and feeding an
illuminating light into a body cavity.
The first air feeding mouthpiece 39 will be connected to an air
feeding pump contained in a light source apparatus (not
illustrated) in case the connector part 38 is connected to the
light source apparatus (not illustrated).
The air feeding tube 24 communicating with the first air feeding
mouthpiece 39 and second air feeding mouthpiece 41 within the
connector part 38 is inserted through the light guide and signal
cable 4 together with the water feeding tube 27 connected to the
water feeding mouthpiece 42 and is connected to the above mentioned
air and water feeding switching part 33.
The sucking mouthpiece 43 is to be connected to a suction pump (not
illustrated) through a sucking tube (not illustrated) and is
connected to the above mentioned suction switching part 34 through
a second sucking tube 50 as a lower steam side sucking tube line
having an inside diameter B larger than the inside diameter A of
the first tube 37 inserted through the operating part 3, light
guide and signal cable 4. That is to say, the relation between the
inside diameter A of the first sucking tube 37 and the inside
diameter B of the second sucking tube 50 is A<B.
The second air feeding mouthpiece 41 and water feeding mouthpiece
42 form a connector receiving part 48 so that a connector 53
provided in the tip part of an air feeding tube 51 and water
feeding tube 52 extended out of a water feeding tank 49 may be
simultaneously connected
The above mentioned suction switching part 34 is formed as in FIG.
4.
A fitting hole 55 is made in the outer wall of the operating part
3, a cylinder 56 as a valve seat body is fitted to this fitting
hole 55, is projected at the outer end out of the operating part 3
and has a flange 57 formed on the outer periphery at the inner end
and a fitting ring 58 is screwed to the cylinder 56 on the outer
periphery at the outer end so that the cylinder 56 may be fitted
and fixed by holding the operating part 3 on the outer wall between
the fitting ring 58 and flange 57. By the way, such water-tight
member 59 as, for example, an O-ring is provided between the inner
peripheral surface of the fitting hole 55 and the outer peripheral
surface of the cylinder 56 to secure the water-tightness between
the fitting hole 55 and the outer wall of the operating part 3. The
second sucking tube 50 having an inside diameter B is connected to
the cylinder 56 at the inner end through a first connecting tube
60. Further, an aperture 62 opening within the cylinder 56 is
formed in the side wall of the cylinder 56 and is connected with
the first sucking tube 37 having an inside diameter A through a
second connecting tube 63. A switching controlling piston 64 is
vertically movably fitted within the cylinder 56. A hollow hole 65
opening at the inner end is formed axially within this piston 64
and communicates outside on the outer inner peripheral surface
through an aperture 66 made in the central side wall of the piston
64 so that, when the piston 64 is in a standby position, this
aperture 66 will project above the outer end of the cylinder 56
but, when the piston 64 is pushed in, the aperture 66 will be
opposed to coincide and communicate with the aperture 62 of the
cylinder 56.
The above mentioned fitting ring 58 has a groove 67 formed
peripherally on the outer peripheral surface and a flange 68 formed
outside this groove 67. This flange 68 is removably fitted with a
butting member 69 made of a metal, formed concentrically of an
outer cylinder 69a and inner cylinder 69b and integrally connected
through a connecting bottom wall 69c between the outer cylinder 69a
and inner cylinder 69b at the ends. This outer cylinder 69a has a
substantially cylindrically formed elastic member 70 integrally
fitted and fixed by insert molding. An engaging projection 71
elastically closely fitting in the groove 67 provided on the above
mentioned flange 68 is formed at the end of this elastic member 70.
A butting part 72 protruding inside in the diametral direction is
formed at the outer end of the inner cylinder 69b so that the
piston 64 in the standby position may contact on the outer end
surface with the inner end surface of this butting part 72 to
regulate the standly position. The piston 64 is screwed at the
upper end with a connecting tube 73 having a flange at the outer
end. Further, an operating button 74 made of a comparatively hard
plastic is fitted to the outer end of this connecting tube 73. A
falling cylindrical wall 75 is provided on the peripheral edge of
this operating button 74 so as to be contained within the elastic
member 70 and contact the outer end surface of a projection 70a
provided on the inner peripheral surface of the above mentioned
elastic member 70 in case the piston 64 is pushed in.
A coil spring 76 as a piston 64 energizing member is interposed
between the flange provided at the outer end of the above mentioned
connecting tube 73 and the above mentioned connecting bottom wall
69c so as to be energized in case the piston 64 is pushed in.
A plurality of leaking holes 77 are made in the diametral direction
in the wall of the above mentioned inner cylinder 69b so as to
communicate with the hollow hole 65 through the aperture 66 of the
piston 64 in case the piston 64 is in the standby position. In
order to prevent the rotation of the piston 64, a guide pin 78
projecting in the diametral direction out of the inner wall surface
of the cylinder 56 is provided on the side wall of the cylinder 56
so as to be engaged at the tip with a groove 79 provided in the
axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the piston
64.
In case the above mentioned suction switching part 34 is in a
standby position, the aperture 62 of the cylinder 56 will be closed
by the outer peripheral surface of the piston 64, therefore the
first sucking tube 37 and second sucking tube 50 will be
intercepted from each other and the suction to the forceps channel
tube 31 through the first sucking tube 37 will no longer act.
However, as the hollow hole 65 of the piston 64 communicates with
the outside through the aperture 66 and plurality of leaking holes
77, outside air will be sucked in.
In the case of sucking, when the operating button 74 is pushed in
until the wall 75 contacts on the inner end surface with the
projection 70a, the aperture 66 of the piston 64 will communicate
with the aperture 62 of the cylinder 56 and the first sucking tube
37 and second sucking tube 50 will communicate with each other
through the apertures 66 and 62 but will be intercepted from the
outside. Therefore, while preventing the suction of outside air, a
suction will be made through the first sucking tube 37 and second
sucking tube 50.
The operation of the endoscope formed as mentioned above shall be
explained.
When the insertable part 2 is inserted into a body cavity, the tip
part 6 is led to a part to be treated while observing with a
monitor (not illustrated) and a treating tool is inserted through
the forceps part 32 to make a therapeutic treatment, a blood, dirt,
mucus and the like will be deposited on the objective lens system
14 by this treatment. In case a desired observed image is not
obtained, when the air and water feeding switching part 33 is
operated, a gas will be made to flow into the air feeding channel
and a washing liquid will be made to flow into the water feeding
channel. These flowing gas and washing liquid will be mixed in the
branch tube 28.
In such case, as the inside diameter DA of the air feeding channel
23 is larger than the inside diameter DW of the water feeding
channel 26, a larger amount of the gas will be fed and further, as
the branch tube 28 is throttled, the flow velocity of the gas will
be increased, the washing liquid will be more finely sprayed and
will be delivered out of the air and water feeding nozzle 19. As
this washing liquid is finely sprayed, water drops will not be
deposited on the front end surface of the objective lens 14 and a
favorable visual field will be able to be obtained. When the
forceps part 32 of the operating part 3 is then closed with the
forceps plug 36 and the suction switching part 34 is operated, the
washing liquid, mucus, blood and the like delivered into the body
cavity will be sucked. In the operation of the suction switching
part 34 when the operating button 74 is pushed, the first sucking
tube 37 having the inside diameter A and the second sucking tube 50
having the inside diameter B will be made to communicate with each
other. A suction pump (not illustrated) is connected to the sucking
mouthpiece 43 communicating with the second sucking tube 50. The
washing liquid, mucus, dirt and blood will be sucked by this
suction pump. In such case, as the inside diameter B of the second
sucking tube 50 is larger than the inside diameter A of the first
sucking tube 37, the tube line resistance of the sucking tube line
from the second sucking tube 50 to the suction pump (not
illustrated) will be able to be made smaller and the suction amount
of the suction pump (not illustrated) will be able to be made
larger. As the suction amount becomes larger, the dirt and mucus
will be able to be quickly sucked. Further, the solid sucked within
the first sucking tube 37 will not clog the second sucking tube
50.
By the way, in FIG. 3, the electronic endoscope (which shall be
mentioned as an electronic scope hereinafter) using a CCD may be an
RGB frame sequential system electronic scope 81 or a mosaic filter
system electronic scope 82. The RGB frame sequential system and
mosaic filter system are different from each other in the CCD
driving system and signal processing circuit and are therefore
connected respectively to separate video processors to display
observed picture images in monitors 85. That is to say, the RGB
frame sequential system video processor 83 will be connected to the
RGB frame sequential system electronic scope 81 and the mosaic
filter system video processor 84 will be connected to the mosaic
filter system electronic scope 82. Further, the scope side
connector 86 of the RGB frame sequential system electronic scope 81
and the VP side connector 87 of the RGB frame sequential system
video processor 83 are provided with, for example, star marks 91 as
discriminating marks. The scope side connector 88 of the mosaic
filter system electronic scope 82 and the VP side connector 89 of
the mosaic filter system video processor 84 are provided with, for
example, double circle marks 92 as discriminating marks. By thus
providing the connector parts with discriminating marks, the
electronic scope and video processor of the same imaging system can
be easily selected and connected. Also, even in the case of the
same imaging system of the RGB frame sequential system or mosaic
filter system, by the difference of the kind of the CCD, for
example, the number of pixels, the driving system and signal
processing circuit will be different. Therefore, the electronic
scopes may be provided respectively with discriminating marks
corresponding to the kinds of the CCD so as to be able to be
respectively discriminated and easily selected to be used.
By the way, in addition to the discriminating marks, the scope side
connector and VP side connector may be made in the same color so as
to be able to be discriminated.
As in this embodiment, as the inside diameter B of the second
sucking tube 50 on the lower stream side from the suction switching
part 34 inserted through the light guide and signal cable 4 from
the operating part 3 not inserted into a body cavity is made larger
than the inside diameter A of the first sucking tube 37 on the
upper stream side from the suction switching part 34, the tube line
resistance of the second sucking tube 50 can be reduced and the
resistance of the entire tube line including the first and second
tubes 37 and 50 can be made low. Therefore, without enlarging the
outside diameter of the endoscope insertable part 2, even in the
case of making a suction by operating the suction switching part
34, a suction out of the endoscope tip part 6 can be quickly and
favorably made.
Also, as the inside diameter of the second sucking tube 50 is
larger than the inside diameter of the first sucking tube 37, the
sucked solid will not clog the second sucking tube 50.
By the way, in this embodiment, the forceps channel tube 31 is also
the first sucking tube 37 but they may be made separate and
inserted through the insertable part.
The present invention may be applied not only to electronic scopes
but also fiber scopes.
As explained above, according to the present invention, a maximum
suction amount can be obtained by reducing the resistance of the
sucking tube lines to be as low as possible and the impurities
sucked on the upper stream side can be prevented from cloging the
lower stream side.
* * * * *